GoKawiilReading house with 50ft hand-dug tunnel network goes to auction at £300k
A property in Tilehurst, Reading, is going to auction with over 1,300 square feet of underground space built by hand over decades, including tunnels reaching more than 15 metres deep, a railway, a one-tonne goods lift and a hidden entrance disguised as a rocket by the pool. The tunnels were dug by former aerodrome construction worker Tony Deane and his six children using only buckets and wheelbarrows, starting in the 1960s with underground changing rooms and continuing through the 1980s and 90s.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Auctioneer Richard Worrall of BTG Eddisons describes the complex as unique among properties he has handled, which could draw unusual buyer interest or complicate valuation given the lack of comparable sales. The scale of manual excavation, reportedly unknown even to neighbours, highlights how private, long-term personal projects can create structures with no clear precedent in the property market.
- Property includes over 1,300 sq ft of tunnels dug by hand across four levels, reaching 15m deep.
- Built by Tony Deane and his six children from the 1960s through the 1990s using buckets and wheelbarrows.
- House is going to auction for £300k with features including a hidden rocket entrance and a one-tonne goods lift.
Source: readingchronicle.co.uk — Hollie Bus, 2026-10-07
Published there as: “House with 15m underground tunnels for sale for 300k”
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